21/03/2006 - Paul Cook of Alexandra
Road, Maesteg, was ordered to pay a total of £1,500
in fines after being found guilty of three waste
offences in a prosecution brought by Environment
Agency Wales on 10 March 2006 at Port Talbot Magistrates
Court. He was also ordered to pay a further £1,000
towards the Agency’s investigation and prosecution
costs.
Cook was found guilty in his absence
of transporting controlled waste without being a
registered waste carrier. This is a contravention
of Section 1 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment)
Act 1989.
He was also found guilty of two
further offences of fa336iling to provide information
required by Notices served under Section 34 and
71 of the Environment Protection Act 11000.
He was fined £500 on each
offence.
This was the sixth time that this
matter had been brought in front of the court. Cook
had only attended on one occasion, following the
execution of an arrest warrant. Given these circumstances
the magistrates concluded that he had no intention
to appear before them, deciding to hear the case
in his absence.
The court was told that on a number
of occasions in February 2005, Cook was seen by
Agency enforcement officers to transport controlled
waste without being a registered waste carrier.
He had remained evasive and uncooperative
throughout the investigation and failed to reply
to two legal notices that were hand delivered to
him requesting specific information.
Speaking after the case Lyn Richards,
an Agency Enforcement Officer said: ‘Anyone who
transports controlled waste with a view to profit
in the course of their business requires to be a
registered waste carrier. We strongly urge waste
carriers to ensure they are registered with the
Agency before they carry out their activities, as
we will not hesitate to prosecute those that break
the law. Registration currently costs £136
for an initial three-year period.’
